Bounceback Regain
Was catching up on reading today and saw a lot of comments on the "expected" bounceback regain after weight loss surgery.
My surgeon sets a goal weight by figuring the top of a normal BMI. For me at 5'2" that was 136. Never was it brought up that expected weight loss would be 50-60% of excess body weight. I never heard that until years later.
Our program is high protein, low carb. There are no breads, cereals, rice, sugar, potatoes, corn, peas, or fruit. We plan our meals with protein first and non-starchy vegetables. After three months, berries and salad are allowed.
There are support meetings twice a month. We also had water aerobic classes twice a week. Daily exercise is stressed.
The program is very successful because expectations are very high. Our support groups are closed to outsiders. That is because people from other programs would argue about the benefits of oatmeal, fruit and whole grain breads. So outsiders are not welcome.
Once goal weight is reached, we have new goals of 10, 20 or 30 additional pounds lost during the first two years. People in year two are really skinny, but all of them stop losing. Nobody disappears.
By the end of year three, those people have stabilized, often had some regain and no longer look too skinny. The body is smart. It can adjust to what it has to work with. The malabsorption after RNY goes away. The face and body fill out again. The extra weight lost during the honeymoon period comes back and makes it easy to maintain the original goal weight.
My advise to anyone starting out on this journey is to aim for goal weight and then for a bounceback cushion. Don't be fooled by how easy it is to maintain during the first two years. Think of this as a lifetime project. We don't get to put the scale away and relax. It can be done, but it takes work and a lifetime of awareness.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
I really needed this reminder today. Just this morning I saw a new low on the scale (139.6) and I was so happy because I lowered my original goal (145, which put me at 5lbs below the highest BMI for being 5'5") down to 135 to have a little cushion...
Anyway, my Hubby has started in on the "you are thin enough... you don't need to lose anymore weight" stuff about a week or so ago. But he's always cheered with me when I hit a new low number. This morning when I told him I was at 139.6, he hesitated (this was on the phone since he's out of town). I realized that it's time to stop 'celebrating' new lows with him and just be quiet about any more loss that I have. He's now crossed over to the 'no more' fan club LOL!
So, I'll now only be celebrating my continued (hopefully) loss with you guys!
I want to look the way I look now... in 5 years and beyond!
Thanks for reminding me, and putting this out here to hopefully help other newbies like myself that are lost in the magic of WLS! We have to stay vigilant FOREVER... while (I think) it's normal for a more varied diet to sneak into our lives as time passes, we MUST stay vigilant and stay accountable to ourselves so that we can all be successful 2-5-10 years out!
Height 5'5" HW 260 SW 251 CW 141.6 (2/27/18)
RNY 5-16-16 Pre-Op 9lbs, M1-18.5lbs, M2-18.1lbs, M3-14.8lbs, M4-10.4lbs, M5-9.2lbs, M6-7lbs, M7-6.2lbs, M8-8.8lbs,M9-7.8lbs, M10-1 lb, M11-.6lbs, M12-4.4lbs
on 6/13/17 8:08 am
Thanks so much for posting this! As I was just asking about this last week, the timing is impeccable for me.
I also have reached the point I just don't mention my weight anymore, lol. Who ever woulda thunk it?
Ceci
Thanks for this post, Miss Dove... so perfectly written and depicts my journey so far to a T! Last year at this time (3 months into my second year after surgery) I was at my all time low of 134. I'm 5'9"... and in my heart of hearts I knew I was too thin. Although the warped part of my mind that has battled food addiction all my life was in LaLa Land over this (and still wishes I could be there some days) my bounce back weight has put me exactly where I should really be. I'm hovering between 145 - 150 - a place where all my skinny clothes still fit (thank goodness) and I feel much more comfortable in in skin and bones. No one ever tells me I'm too thin or to stop losing weight any more.
So, White Dove is correct - bounce back weight should be expected, and is normal and healthy... as long as you keep it in check for the rest of your life.
We can do this!
Hi,
Thank you for this post! I am curious on how one determines what their cushion should be? Originally, my end goal was 145-150 as recommended by my surgeon. I was 290, so I was planning to get down to 140 to allow for 5-10lbs regain. I am 3 months post op and down almost to my halfway goal (down 68lbs). I am loosing faster than my surgeon and I expected and want to continue to push myself during this first year to make sure I get low enough that when I regain once my honey moon phase ends, Ill end up at my original weight goal of 145-150. I have seen so many variations in information estimating anywhere between 10%-30% regain. This makes me feel that I should aim lower than 140. However, I also know that I am pretty active which likely accounts for my higher than expected weight loss and I am hoping to be on the lower end of the regain scale. I don't want to end up too thin at the end of all of this. What a strange fear to have after being morbidly obese most of my adult life. Anyway, any suggestions on setting a good goal? Am I too focused on numbers? Or setting my goal too high?